Product data in Pickler is defined as the lifecycle data that is needed to run calculations in Pickler. It's the data coming from your bill of material, data on production, locations, and more. Product data can also be data that can be listed as reference data, e.g. your product name, ID, etc. A full list of data that you can import to Pickler can be found here.
Import your product data
To import your data into Pickler, you navigate to the import & export page and make sure you are in the product data tab.
When you have zero products in your account, you will see a Download template button. This option is replaced with an Export data button when you have at least one product.
This button will download a full Excel export of your products in Pickler. This will be your starting point.
Understanding the template and formatting
Opening the file in Excel gets you your data in the exact right format. From here, you can make changes to your data, save the file, and upload it again.
Changing data in a Pickler export file
The Pickler export file is built up in the correct formatting for import. When you edit data, save the file, and import it again, it could be that it will not pass the validation checks that are run on every import in Pickler. That's why it's important to stick to the formatting that you see in the Excel file.
Save the file as XLXS.
Best practice
Pickler is evolving with new data fields and enhancements that may impact our data compilation. While we aim for consistency, there are times when that's not possible; meaning the structure will change.
Therefore, it's best practice to always download an export of your data right before starting a new upload and not to use an old file. This means you will have to right headers in place and structure in place.
Importing
To import a file, navigate again to the import & export page. In the product tab, click Import data. In the modal, upload your file and click import.
Pickler will now perform the checks. If the file doesn't pass the validation checks, it will give feedback.
Rules and data validation
When preparing your data, it's good to understand to what format and rules it has to adhere.
General rules
Pickler will skip empty cells during import, meaning it will not overwrite existing values.
You can select what columns (data) you want to upload - besides the ID column that is always required.
Pickler treats
.or,as decimal separators. Do only use these for writing decimals, not to write out a larger number.When an empty cell (only ID is a required field) is imported but there is no existing value, Pickler will add a default value. See what default values we apply per data field.
Validation checks per data field in Pickler
Data | Rules |
ID* | Required, should be unique, alphanumeric, and within a certain length limit. |
Product name | Max Length: 100 characters. |
Scenario | Numeric, must be an integer, defaults to 0 if not specified. |
Description | Max length 500 characters, no special formatting issues (e.g., avoid HTML tags). |
Image URL | Must be a valid, fully-qualified URL starting with |
Product weight | Required, numeric, positive value, likely with a realistic max (e.g., <= 10,000). |
Supplier | Required, text, may need to match a predefined supplier name from a database. |
Product category | Required, text, predefined list (e.g., "Tubes", "Plates", etc.). |
Components, Quantities, Materials, Shares, Production location, Production process | A Group of strings.
A string has this structure:
At least one string is required. There can be multiple strings. Strings are separated by
Requirements for strings: Adheres to this structure.
Requirements for a group of strings When the same component names are used, they will be merged during import. Sum of all shares must be 100%. |
Warehouse location | Text value |
Transport | String of text values (locations) separated by |
End of life regions and share | String of values (regions) and the share. Share must sum to 100%. |
Transport unit length | Numeric, minimum > 0 cm, maximum likely <= 1,750 cm. |
Transport unit width | Numeric, minimum > 0 cm, maximum likely <= 1,750 cm. |
Transport unit height | Numeric, minimum > 0 cm, maximum likely <= 1,750 cm. |
Transport unit weight | Numeric value in cm kg |
Automatic transport mode | Numeric, binary (1 for automatic, 0 for manual). |
Custom attributes | Optional, must adhere to |
Custom product end of life | formatted as
Shares must sum to exactly 100%. |
A more user-friendly way of importing
Importing data into Pickler using Excel is currently a complex process due to the detailed and interconnected nature of the data.
That's why we are working on a new, user-friendly template. This simplified import format will make data entry easier, ensure accuracy through automated validation, and offer flexibility by allowing users to configure what they want to import.
Although still in development, the new template is expected to launch before the end of 2024, aiming to lower the barrier to importing and streamline the process for all users.